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This Sunday is 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time and the Gospel Reading is Matthew 15:21-28.
The Canaanite Woman’s Faith
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Executive Director’s Reflections
Dear Friends and Colleagues
A Quiet Revolution in Teaching and Learning: Once seen … Never forgotten.
On Monday 24 July, some 1,400 Catholic Education Tasmania (CET) educators gathered in three sites: Devonport, Launceston, and Hobart to participate in a system-wide 'Insight' professional development opportunity. The entire day featured presentations and workshops provided by Australia’s leading experts on the basics of high-quality teaching – grounded in the Science of Learning.
Our educators are energised and excited by what they are learning. To watch a lesson designed around the Science of Learning lesson is to see high energy and active participation by learners and teachers alike. The great majority of our teachers and students love this new approach.
The Science of Learning is built upon recent discoveries from neuroscience about how the brain learns and remembers. Its scientific data confirms the work of the Ancient Greeks and the medieval scholars in unlocking the cognitive architecture of teaching, learning and remembering. It is a process that uses all our senses, our imagination, our emotions, our rational intellect and our will.
The science lies in the fact that human working memory is quite small, so all learning needs to be broken down into bite size chunks for our brains to be able to process them and learn from them.
I first became exposed to this thinking in the 1980’s when I was undertaking some academic research into the specific pedagogy of religious education that could be extracted from the writings of St Thomas Aquinas. St Thomas had drawn from the epistemology of Aristotle and the Ancient Greeks to conclude that we all learn in the same way. Modern neuroscience now provides conclusive confirmation of this understanding about how people learn and remember.
We take in all our information via the senses. Later, we use our imagination to retrieve this sense information. This activates the emotions as we begin to process the sense information with our intellect. The intellect looks for meaning and understanding, for connections and contradictions – the building blocks of 'learning'. The human will is necessary too - because to learn takes effort and repeated practice – something we don’t always find easy. This is because we need to employ many different activities and recall practices to ensure that what we have learnt remains permanently in our memory for accurate, future recall.
Critical to the Science of Learning are three key ingredients. These apply no matter what subject is being taught – especially in the teaching of our Catholic faith.
- The first is a knowledge-rich curriculum to equip our teachers and students with all the things they need to know for this life – and the life to come.
- Second is a comprehensive pedagogy based on tested, proven and successful teaching techniques that enhance learning – Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction.
- Third is the intensive, comprehensive and expert coaching presently being provided to hundreds of volunteer CET educators in effective teaching practice.
The mission of Catholic education is to spread the Gospel of Christ. We now have a highly effective set of teaching tools to amplify this great work.
Yours in Christ
Gerard Gaskin
Executive Director
Book Week: Unleashing imaginations, one chapter at a time
What an incredible week it has been as we've celebrated Book Week in our Catholic schools! From Kinder to College, students have brought their favourite characters to life, stepping out of the pages and onto the stage to showcase their costumes in Book Week parades across the state.
To the incredible students, parents, staff, and all who played a part in this heartwarming celebration, thank you for making Book Week a truly unforgettable experience.
Tune in to our Facebook Page tomorrow to see more photos from our Book Week activites!
Official Directory of the Catholic Church in Australia
The 2023-24 print edition of the Official Directory of the Catholic Church in Australia will soon be published. This must-have resource for those working in the Church provides information about all official Catholic ministries across the country – dioceses, parishes, schools, religious institutes, health and aged care services, social services and much more.
Pre-order the print edition by August 31 to receive a 15 per cent discount off the regular price. You can also purchase an online subscription, getting access to the most current information.
Social Justice Sunday 2023
Social Justice Sunday on August 27 marks the launch of the ACBC's Social Justice Statement, "Listen, Learn, Love: A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples." Released in a significant year for Indigenous Australians and the nation, it coincides with a referendum on recognising these communities with a Constitutional Voice to Parliament.
The statement, jointly authored by the Bishops and NATSICC, presents the referendum as a chance for the Church to initiate a fresh connection with the First Peoples. NATSICC addresses historical injustices and their aspirations. While not explicitly endorsing the referendum, the Bishops urge Australians to engage in dialogue with Indigenous communities for informed decision-making.
This year, the Bishops and NATSICC envision the Church leading by listening and learning, saying "We, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council, invite members of the Church to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in this year of great possibility."
The Bishops and NATSICC invite Church members to stand alongside Indigenous peoples, fostering a culture of love in Australia. They highlight the transformative power of love to impact individual lives and society at large.
The 2023-24 Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize competition is now open
The Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize (FMMP) aims to commemorate and preserve the meaning of the ANZAC spirit in the Tasmanian community. The competition is open to all Tasmanian Year 9 students.
Six Year 9 students are selected from around Tasmania to take part in the Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize each year. Two teachers accompany and supervise the winning students during the course of the Prize.
Entries for both student and teachers (chaperones) close at 5.00pm tomorrow, 25 August 2023.
Threatened species art competition
There’s just three more weeks for students to take part in the Wild At Art threatened species art competition!
Creating and submitting an artwork helps develop children’s connection to Australia’s wild places and the threatened plants and animals that call it home.
Wild At Art is Australia’s biggest wildlife art competition for children aged 5-12.
Right up until Threatened Species Day on Thursday 7 September, the Australian Conservation Foundation invite children from across the country to create an original artwork of one of Australia's many threatened native animals or plants, along with a short written component on their chosen threatened species.
Australian Catholic Education News
The latest issue of the Australian Catholic Educations News from the National Catholic Education Commission is now available.
ACARA Update newsletter
The latest issue of the ACARA Update Newsletter from the The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is now available.
Curious Climate Schools is back for 2023!
Libraries Tasmania Studiosity program
Libraries Tasmania now offers free online study support through the Studiosity program. Student in grades 3 to 12 can access homework support, writing feedback and practice quizzes from real-life subject specialists. Library members log in free with their library barcode and PIN/password.
What Studiosity Offers:
- Connect Live Service: If you need instant assistance with homework, assignments, or questions in subjects like math, chemistry, physics, and more, the Connect Live service allows you to chat with a Subject Specialist. They'll guide you through your queries using typed or voice chat and even help you solve problems on an online whiteboard.
- Writing Feedback: Upload essays/written articles to Studiosity anytime and receive detailed feedback in less than 24 hours. Improve your writing skills with their suggestions and make your work shine.
- Practice Tests and Worksheets: Access over 750 practice tests and downloadable worksheets across English, math, chemistry, physics, and biology from Year 5 to Year 12 levels, including NAPLAN-focused content
Melbourne Shaping Minds Intensive Workshops
Jordan O’Sullivan and Lorraine Hammond are running a full day professional learning workshop in Melbourne covering 'Introduction to explicit instruction' with live demonstrations by experts and practical instruction.
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Lorraine's PL on the Monday is $300 + GST and each of the Intensive days are $500 + GST.
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As interstate travel is required to attend, a significant discount is being offered, allowing CET staff to attend all four days for the cost of three.
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Therefore, if attending all 4 days the Total = $1300 + GST per person for all 4 days for CET staff who would like to register.
Please note that all costs are the responsibility of attendees.
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STEM Education Links and Resources
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NATSICC
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Catholic Education Tasmania acknowledges and pays respect to the original and ongoing custodians of the land. We acknowledge the continuing connection to land, seas, air and waterways and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of reconciliation. We honour Elders past and present.